Picker stick check



H.. H. MOCLAMROCH Jan. 12, 1960 PICKER STICK CHECK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 21, 1959 I INVENTOR Harold H McC/omroclr BY i MM,

Jan, 12, 1960 H. H. MCCLAMROCH PICKER STICK CHECK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 21. 1959 INVENTOR Harold H McC/amrac/r BY Mum ATTORNEY 5 United States Patent This invention relates apicker stick check; for looms, and more especially to an improved form of picker stick check which utilizes a single spring to checkthe picker stick check motion in both directions and which utilizes an arm and a cooperating stop to adjust the tension on the spring. This improved form of picker stick check is particularly useful on looms for weaving fabrics of artificial fibers, although of course it may be adapted for use on other looms.

There have been many forms of picker stick checks devised, all of which seek to slow and stop the motion of the picker stick as itca'tches the shuttle when the shuttle enters the box and to check the picker stick when it throws the shuttle. The earlier forms of picker stick checks merely comprised a flexible strap-made from a material such as leather or fabric. ;However the constant frictionon the strap made it necessary to reinforce the strap at the point where the picker stick rubbed thereon in order to counteract wear at this point. In addition, the strap absorbed moisture from the air and consequently the yield point of the strap varied depending on the .humidity.

' There have been devised many types of picker stick checks which utilize spring arrangements acting on the picker stick. While these may obviate the difficulties which are encountered in the picker stick checks which have leather or fabric .straps therein, they have usually necessitated the use of one type of spring arrangement to check themotion of the picker stick when it catches the shuttle and another type of spring arrangement to check the motion of the picker stick when it throws the shuttle. The use of two spring arrangements not only results in added complexity in a field already complex, but results in two points-at which, adjustments must be made to achieve the proper checking action. I

In my application Ser. No. 622,946, now Patent No. 2,903,020, I disclose a picker stick check which has a single spring loaded drum on the rear end of the bracket and a strap secured to the drum which extends around the picker stick and is secured to the front end of the bracket. However, the only adjustment in this picker stick check is in the tension of the spring within the drum, or a minor adjustment in the length of the strap 7 permitted by an elongated slot at the end of the strap secured to the bracket. It is obvious that these adjust ments must be performed while the loom is not operating, and even then are not very accurate.

It is an object, of the present invention to provide a picker stick check which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art picker stick checks and which utilizes a single spring arrangement withan adjustment means therefor to check motion of the picker stick in both directions.

It is afurther object of the present invention to provide a picker stick check in which .the :proper checking action can beobtairred by a single adjustment-on the spring arrangement for checking the picker stick-in both directions.

' projection 30.

2,920,660 Patented Jan. 12, 1960 Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification and claims taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of one end of the lay of a loom showing the picker stick check according to the invention attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of one end of the In of the loom as shown in. Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged bottom plan view, partly in section, of the picker stick check according to the invention;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation 'view, .partly in section, of the picker stick check according to Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a partial bottom plan view of amodificatio'n of the picker stick check according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, one end of a conventional loom lay 10 has secured to the lower portion thereof ..a lay plate 11-, and on this plate is secured a box front 12. Pivot-ally secured to the lay at 13 is a pivoted binder .14, the face of which is substantially parallel to the face of thebox front 12. In the layplate 11 between the box front 12 and the binder 14 is a slot 18. A picker stick 16 projects upwardly through the slot between the box front 12 and the binder 14; A conventional picker 17 is secured on the upper end of the picker stick. The picker stick- 16 oscillates in the slot 18.

Due to the fact that the shuttle (not shown) enters the. box between the box front 12 and the binder 14 at a high rate of speed, it is necessary to provide means for checking the picker stick 16 when the shuttle contacts the picker 17 and moves it to the left in Figs. land 2. If such means were not provided, the impact delivered to the picker stick would force the picker stick back against the extreme. left hand end of the slot 18, thus causing Wear and breakage of parts. Likewise when the picker stick throws the shuttle it moves toward the right in Figs. 1 and 2 at a high rate of speed, and unless means are provided for checking this motion the picker stick would soon break up on the right hand end ofthe slot 18 in the lay plate 11.

A bracket .19 having elongated slots 19a and 19b therein is mounted on the bottomof the end of the lay 10 by securing means 11a in the form of nuts and bolts extending through theslots. The elongation of the slots permitsv adjustment of the position of bracket 19. From one end of bracket 19 depends a check shaft 25 which passes through slot 19c and is secured to the bracket by means of nut 26, a washer 27 being provided between the nut and the bracket. On the lower end of check shaft 25 is a flange 28, and between flange 28 and the bracket is a bearing 29. This bearing is shown as an oilite sleeve hearing, but may be any other suitable bearing, such as a pair of radial thrust bearings, one adjacent the flange and the other adjacent the bracket.

Mounted on the shaft 25 on the bearing 29 is a check body 20 which is made'of a good heat conducting material, preferably aluminum. An arresting arm 21 projects from the check body-into the path of the picker stick 16. The part of the arresting arm 21 which is struck by the picker stick is lined with a relatively soft lining 23 which will cushion the impact of the picker stick -16 against the check body 20. This lining may be leather or some other similar material.

, Aprojection 30 is formed on the check body 20 and projects radially outwardly of the shaft 25 and parallel to the shaft toward the bracket 19. An adjusting bolt 31 is threaded through the end of projection 30 and has lock nut 32 therearou'nd' for locking nut 31 in position on A stop'f34 is 'mounted on the bracket 19 adjacent theperiphery of the check body 20, and one end of the bolt 3 .1 abu s step ,4 when, the check ody r a ficiently far clockwise in Fig. 3.

From the other end of the bracket 19 depends a drum shaft 35; in the former, a bolt. Beneath the head 35a of the boitis; an end plate and a'spring supporting cylinder The end of the spring, supporting cylinder adjacent the bracket 19 bears against a base plate 38 which in turn is secured to the bracket" 19,. This assembly of] parts is se uredto the. base plate by a mat and washer 35b onthe end of the bolt 35 which projectsthrough the base plate 38 Mounted. on the spring supporting cylinder 37 is a spring 39, one end of which in relation to. the

cylinder 37' by a bent over end 39a:inserted through a hole I 31a in the: cylinden Rotatablymount'edon the sprihgsuppomin'g cylinder 37 is a drum 40 having: a closed end-00a. An aperture 40b .isprovidedin the drum 40. Imertedthmu'gh theapermre 40b. is the other end .05 thespring '39 which is also bent iowerat 39b. One end ofastrap 43in mlm'the'dmm 40L by. bent over end' 39b of spring Onthe end of arresting arm 21 on cheeh'body lll on the In operation, when-rhepickerstick 16 is struck by is free until the picker stick hits arresting arms 21- and strap 43 begins to stretch tight between-the drum 40 and the pickerstick 16; At that time the only'placefor'more length of strap-to come frorrr is the drum 40. The rearward movement of the picker stick thus starts to unwind thestrap 43 from the drum 40 against the action'of the spring; 39; Themore strap that'is unwound, the stronger theresistingforce 01E the spring, until the motion of the picker stickischecked. At this point, the spring 39'starts tounwind and-movesthe picker stick 1'6 and arresting arm 21 inthe forward direction until the spring is no longer tension'ed.

' When the picker stick 16 moves forward to throw the shuttle, it'encounters the front endof the loop of thestrap 43 adjacent the drum 40, as s'hown in Fig. 1'. When the adjusting bolt 31 on the check ZOhits the stop 34, andithe strap begins to tightenbetweenthe drum 40 and picker stick, the only place from which additional length 'ofstrap can, comeisfrom the partthereof aroundithedrum '40. This part ofthe strap is unwoundffi'om the drum by the, continued forward movement of the picker. stick againstlthe action ofthespringuntil. the force of the spring resisting the unwinding is sufficient to stop the forward motion of'the pickerstick. The springagain unwi'nds and returns the picker stick toward therear until the spring is no longer tensioned.

It will'be seenthat by. looseningthe bolts 11av which secure the bracket 19;to the, lay plate 11, the position of the bracket can be adjusted. By threading the. adjusting bolt 31 and. nut, 32. intoor. out of the projection 30, the tensionjonthe strap 43, can be adjusted. Also, by loosening the nut and washer. 35. the cylinder, 37 supporting the spring 39'can be rotated to adjust thetension ofthe spring, and the. drum 40 can be moved lengthwise of the bracket 19in the elongated slotv 19c. Thussubstantially. any. posia 'tion and tension on the strap can be achieved by the propercombination of adjustments.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5., the bolt 31 and locking nut-BZ thereon have been omitted and there hasbeen'provided a bolt"45"threadedthrough the ing 34' andhelddn -place by-locking nuts 46. The end ofbolt 45 abutsthe projection 30'; the clockwise movement of? the arm ll beinglimited- 'by theposition of the end of the bolt 45. As can be readily appreciated, the bolt'45can' adjusted while the loom is'runningandthe 21" is oseillatingclockwise and counterclockwise;

theshuttle and moves to the-left in Fig; 1, the movement The advantages of the picker stick. check according to the invention are many. Among others, the check can be adjusted by the plurality of adjustments provided thereon, and will remain in the adjusted position. The adjustment of the adjusting bolt can be performed in a very short time, and in the case of the modification of Fig. 5 can even be performed while the loom is in operation. The strap will not be subject to stretching since any force tending to stretch it is transmitted tothe spring. The adjustments permit adjustment to provide for any degree of check and any duration of spring action of the picker stick. Because the strap will not stretch', the checking action remains. constant and repeated adjustments are unnecessary.

Further, when a picker stick check according to the invention is used on a loom the shuttle does not rebound before it should. The shuttle is kept in the right position at" all- Thus when theloomis stopped, for example, the shuttle win not rebound the box: and: cause the loom to hand a quill. or a breakouf or smashup which damages the eloth and causes considerable delay in production as is often the case with other type checks.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is apparent that various changes may be made in: the form, construction and arrangement of the parts Without departing the-spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing its material advantages; the fermshereinh'efore' described and illustrated m'thedrawings being merely preferred embodiments thereof; i

What is claimed is:' v I v 1. A picker stick check comprising a bracket for mountingona loom, at check body memberofi good heat conducting materialrotatably mounted'onone' end of said to said'arrestingarm onsaid checkbody member.

2; A picker stick check comprisinga bracket for mounting-on a' l'obm; a checkshait mounted onone end of said bracket; a check-body of good heat conducting material rotatabiy mounted on said shaft and havingan arresting arm projecting into thepath'of the picker stick, a projecting member on" said check bodyprojecting radially outwardly of the check Shaft, astopm'ember on said bracket adjacent said check body, abolt threaded through one of said'rne'mbersand engaging the other to limit the rotation of said check body, means associated with said bolt for locking'said" bolt inposition, a single spring loadedydrum rotatably mounted on'the other end of said, bracketand a flexible strap securedto said drum and wrapped around said drum and extending to and secured to said ar-resting armon saidcheck body.

3'. A pickerstick check as claimedin claim 2 in which 'saidbolt isthreaded" through saidprojection and engages said stop.

4. A picker stick check as claimedinclain'r 2" in which said bolt is threaded through said" stop and engages said projection. I

References Cited in the fil'e of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

